Asbury Welcomes New Equine Program Director

July 24, 2024

Asbury University welcomes Elizabeth McNeil ’13 Guthrie as the new director for the school’s storied Equine program, honoring Harold Rainwater’s legacy of starting the program 26 years ago. As a horsewoman and Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, Guthrie carries a passion for walking alongside people and horses as they grow into all that God calls them to be.

“Elizabeth brings experience and expertise that will build upon Asbury’s legacy of bridging equine studies with business management, assisted therapies, and equine sciences,” said Asbury University Provost & Chief Academic Officer Dr. Sherry Powers. “Kentucky’s robust equine industry provides a variety of local internship opportunities for Asbury students, as well as career options in the horse capital of the world (Lexington) and beyond.” 

Guthrie received her bachelor’s degree in psychology and equine management at Asbury University and her master’s degree in marriage and family therapy at Asbury Theological Seminary. Working on a Wyoming ranch after her undergraduate studies, she gained skills in natural horsemanship, mountain pack trips, reining, and bovine husbandry. Guthrie also has experience in exercising thoroughbreds, training draft horses, and working in sustainable agriculture. Her clinical work focused on integrating natural horsemanship with the use of Emotion Focused Therapy as an American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy approved supervisor in training, a leadership fellow, and clinical fellow.  

“I look forward to collaborating with an amazing team to offer a Christ-centered education to students, develop excellent horsewomen and men, and continue to help the Asbury Equine Center be a place of growth and healing for all those who encounter it,” Guthrie said. “My hope is that under my leadership the Equine Center can continue to hold the mission and vision it has held for the past 26 years: to strengthen students’ relationship to God, people, and horses. I hope to further new opportunities for students through hands on experiential learning, outreach in the community, and developing each student’s whole person, body, soul and spirit.”

In 1978, Rainwater offered the Asbury first horsemanship class in his backyard. In 1997, the university accepted the proposal to establish an Equine program and acquired a farm on Shanty Hill Lane in Wilmore with 341 acres of open fields and wooded hills lining the Kentucky River. In 2001, through participation with the National Police Horse Colloquium at the Kentucky Horse Park, Asbury University students began training Percheron/Thoroughbred-crossed horses to be used for service mount units. In 2007, the university added the Equine Management & Facilitated Wellness majors and received accreditation by the Certified Horsemanship Association (CHA) in 2011.

In 2022, the Asbury University Equine Program dedicated the 29,000-square-foot Henry and Elsie Bayless Arena, a new facility that includes 26 stalls and a Western riding arena to accommodate growth in the Police Mounts and Western Riding programs. Asbury University currently has approximately 80 horses on its property, including 44 police mounts in training — 26 of which are already spoken for by police departments around the nation. The Equine Department also launched the Equine Assisted Services major for those interested in working in therapeutic settings with horses helping patients physically, mentally and emotionally.

“The most rewarding part of this program is seeing see God, people, and horses together,” said Rainwater. “With a focus on serving people, helping horses, and training students with skills to serve in the field, we have graduates who serve in nearly every area of the horse world, such as veterinarians, trainers, and therapists.”

Learn more about the Asbury University Equine Department: asbury.edu/equine.